Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS)

You must have a valid Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) reference number to apply for your Student visa.

You must enter the CAS number on your visa application form.
UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) staff will retrieve the information about you and your course from their computer system.
You will need a new CAS number every time you make a student visa application.

Your CAS is a unique reference number we will send you by email. It is not a paper document.

Getting your CAS

You will receive your CAS number by email.
This email also has information about your course of study and your personal details.
Your CAS number is to study the course stated in your CAS email only. If you transfer course, you may be required to obtain a new visa, for which you will need a new CAS. Please note you may be required to return to your home country to make the new visa application in order to transfer course.

When you will get your CAS

New students/Students starting a new programme

If you are a new student or starting a new programme, you will receive your CAS number when you meet the conditions attached to your offer and have provided your passport copy to the relevant Admissions team. If you are a postgraduate student, you may also need to pay your deposit - please refer to your offer letter for details.

If you are an undergraduate student, the CAS will be created by the Undergraduate Admissions team

If you are a postgraduate student, the CAS will be created by the relevant School or Faculty Admissions team

Those students who need an ATAS certificate to study must have received it before the Admissions team can release CAS. You will be told if your course requires ATAS in your offer, but not all nationalities are subject to ATAS. We send email communications to applicants with the information about how to apply for ATAS. The University will receive a copy of your ATAS certificate at the same time as you receive it, so you should not need to do anything to notify us.

Current students

If you are a current student, please request your CAS at least six weeks before your visa expires.
Please contact the Student Visa Advisers for a CAS eligibility form.
If you are eligible for a CAS, the adviser will inform your faculty office who will check your academic eligibility.
You do not need to print a copy of your CAS email for your visa application; you need to enter the CAS number in the appropriate section of your visa application form.
Having a CAS does not guarantee your application will be successful. You must also meet the other requirements for applying for a student visa.

After you get your CAS

Check it:

Are your personal details correct?
Are your course details correct?
How much have you paid to the University for your tuition fees?
What qualifications will you need to send with your application to prove that you meet the conditions of your offer?
Do you need an ATAS certificate? See our ATAS guidance for students.
If you are a University of Bristol financially sponsored student, are the details of your sponsorship correct?

If there are any problems regarding your CAS, please contact the relevant Admissions team:

Undergraduate applicants: contact the Undergraduate Admissions team
Postgraduate applicants: contact the relevant School or Faculty Admissions team
Continuing students: if you have had an extension and requested a CAS from Student Visas, contact us

How long your CAS is valid for

Your CAS will be valid for six months. Any visa applications you make must be made during this period. If your CAS is older than six months, your student visa application will be refused.

When applying for a visa inside the UK you must apply before your current leave expires. If applying outside the UK, please remember that you must arrive in the UK before your course start date, hence it is important to allow enough time for your application to be processed. Please use this tool to learn about the approximate processing times in your country.

If your visa is refused or you decide not to use your University of Bristol CAS

In either of these situations, please email student-visas@bristol.ac.uk with details.

Unpaid debts to the University of Bristol

If you have any unpaid debts to the University of Bristol, eg fees from last semester, these may appear on your CAS.